martinimade

I've been wanting to improve my sorry sewing skills for the past few years. My only real lessons were in junior high, where I managed to sew my own sleeve to the quilted pillow top we were working on. My mom, a former home ec. teacher, always threatend to teach me but it just never worked out.

For years, I had my mom's ancient machine but I'd had enough of its grumpy ways and abandoned it in Knoxville. Which makes it sound like I was a big sewer. The sum total of my sewing in the last ten years was three Christmas stockings that I was driven to make for the Diva's first xmas. I cross-stitched our initials on 'em and everything. I think they are charming.

About six weeks before the most recent yuletide, I realized that we had another baby. Or, rather, I realized that the new baby would require a stocking as well, even if he's too young to care. I'd borrowed the Pie Goddess' sewing machine for the Dude's Halloween gnome hat. I borrowed it again to finish up his stocking.

Between the Hub and I, we have probably borrowed almost everything the Pie Goddess and the Grill Master own. But that's another story.

During the post-holiday sales, I bought my own machine. Since then it has sat in my closet in its box. I keep telling myself that I'll get around to really doing something one of these days.

A perfect storm of events made me get off my tush and realize one of these days is now. First, I stumbled upon the sew-along via whip-up and thought it was a neat idea. Second, the Pie Goddess pointed out the new sewing machine still in its box, which reminded me that I had one. Third, and most distressingly, my hands hurt, especially when knitting.

And so now seems like a great time to try something new.

The pattern is New Look 6433. I'll be attempting E.

In large friendly letters on the packet's front is the word "easy." I have chosen to believe the large friendly letters. There seems to be a zipper involved, however, so the whole easy thing may be crap.

Now I simply (ha!) need to find some fabric. Details TK.